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Topic: Software Development

Nubuntu? Schmubuntu!

Summary: The Problem With LinuxorMy Problem With LinuxorMy ProblemWith everyone raving about how wonderful the new Ubuntu is (well, everyone except ZDNet – whatever were they thinking shipping Firefox 3? Oh, Fool Hardy Heron…), I thought it time for a whinge.

Jake Rayson

By Jake Rayson for Web design & Free Software |

The Problem With Linux

or

My Problem With Linux

or

My Problem

With everyone raving about how wonderful the new Ubuntu is (well, everyone except ZDNet – whatever were they thinking shipping Firefox 3? Oh, Fool Hardy Heron…), I thought it time for a whinge.

On Windows I used the lovely Scintilla-based Notepad++. On the Mac, I used to use BBEdit, then Textmate or Smultron. But on Linux, I've had real problems finding a slick GUI text editor. And no, I don't want to learn Vi. I've settled with Bluefish, it's pretty cool (and fits in nicely with Gnome) but its configuration is tricky.

And this is my beef with Linux, is that Configuration has been my biggest stumbling block. I'm a front-end sort of guy, I'm no geek, no command-line guru. So when it comes to fixing something, like the syntax colouring in Bluefish, I'm kind of stumped when presented with Perl regular expressions. Eeek.

And yes, this is a My Problem ;)

The plus side of all this is that I asked for help on the Bluefish mailing list and received answers from two of the main developers within 24 hours, with a quick workaround. Ahh, isn't Open Source great?

Topic: Software Development

Jake Rayson

About Jake Rayson

A web designer since the 20th century, I am a pragmatic advocate of Free Software and I use proprietary software when appropriate. I made the full-time switch to Linux back in 2007, and my desktop tools of choice are Linux Mint, Inkscape, GIMP and Sublime Text.

As a Front End Developer, my core skills are HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery, and my working life reflects my commitment to open standards and accessible websites (ie accessible by everyone, regardless of browser, platform, ability or technology).

For web publishing platforms, I use WordPress for ease of use and Drupal for more complex solutions.

I am also learning about Ruby, Rails, Sinatra and CoffeeScript. I like the minimalist Ruby Way. To this end, my personal portfolio website is built with NestaCMS.

Contact

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3 comments
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  • Nubuntu? Schmubuntu!

    I tried posting earlier, but it didn't seem to take my message. Anyhow, I pointed out that if you liked Notepad++ in Windows, and didn't find any Linux native app acceptable, why not try it in wine?

    I just went to the sourceforge download page for Notepad++ (did you know they have a Linux FAQ on how to install? http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/nppLinux.php ). Downloaded the .exe file. Ran it with wine, and it installed and runs.

    Seems like if you want Notepad++, you got it!
    markjensen
    Reply Vote

  • Nubuntu? Schmubuntu!

    Seriously, there are so many programs that ship with ubuntu that are far better than notepad++ with no configuration necessary (emacs for instance). I'm not sure about the concern with Firefox 3. It is far better than 2 and much more stable. As mentioned, if you like notepad so much, go ahead and install it by just downloading the .exe and clicking on it.

    This article confuses me because I have been using ubuntu for over six months now without the need to edit a single configuration file or create a regular expression. It's really an easy OS and all of these geeky modifications have mostly faded away. It's probably one of the simplest to use operating systems and is far more intuitive and stable than Vista. Unlike Vista, it actually works in 64 bit (no driver hell) and uses half of the memory, all while doing window effects, including a 3D desktop if you desire. I know several non-geeks who know nothing about computers and are quite happy with the system. Lastly, unlike windows products, it doesn't slow down over time (fragmentation) and really does a good job of maintaining its programs, keeping all of them up to date.
    EnricoFermi
    Reply Vote

  • Nubuntu? Schmubuntu!

    > there are so many programs that ship with ubuntu that are far better than notepad++ with no configuration necessary (emacs for instance)

    @Enrico : ahh, you see, this is so much a matter of <em>personal opinion</em> -- what I like so much about Notepad++ is its streamlined interface and cool slick little features. What I don
    Jake Rayson
    Reply Vote
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